Adjustable front sight for guns



E. J. D. NEWITT.

ADJUSTABLE FRONT SIGHT FDR GUNS. APPLICATION FILED D'Ec.2. I919.

Patented Dec. 7, 1920,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD J. D. HEWITT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EARLE F.

' WATSON, OF DUMONT, NEW JERSEY.

ADJUSTABLE FRONT SIGHT FOR GUNS.

Application filed December 2, 1919.

T 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. D. NEWITT, a subject of the King of Great Britain. residing at New York, in the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Front Sights for Guns, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to gun sights and particularly to adjustable gun sights adapted to vary the horizontal angle between the sight line and barrel axis or trajectory and thus allow correction for lateral zero errors in attaching the sights to the gun and permitting adjustment for windage and the drift of the bullet and the individual peculiarities of the aimer. The object of the invention is to provide simple, accurate and easily operated mechanism for making such adjustments.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating one embodiment of the invention:

Figures 1 and 2 are diagrams illustrating different adjustments of the horizontal angle between the sight line and trajectory.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through an adjustable front sight, and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the same.

Horizontal adjustment of the sight line with relation to the axis of the gun or the trajectory of the bullet is accomplished by adjustment of the rear sight as illustrated in Fig. 1 or of the front sight as illustrated in Fig. 2. The result of either method is the same to shift the axis a a of the gun barrel with relation to the line of sight 1 f between the aimers eye 2' and the objective 0 and passing through the rear sight 1" and front sight f.

This horizontal or lateral adjustment is most advantageously applied to the front sight (Fig. 2) for when applied to the rear sight it involves troublesome combination with the usual elevational adjustment and hinged frame structure making the rear sight complicated in structure and confusing in operation. On the other hand compensation for lateral deflection of the projectile by adjustment of the front sight involves the apparently unnatural movement of the front sight in the same direction as the error to be corrected (Fig. 2). The aimer is used to adjusting the rear sight upward if his bullet is traveling too low and vice versa or to the right if the bullet Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. "7, 1920.

Serial No. 341,863.

is drifting to the left and vice versa, and it is extremely difficult for him to reverse this attitude and move the front sight to the left to cure a drift to the left (Fig. 2) or to the right to cure a drift to the right. In making a front sight adjustment this reversal is so troublesome and so frequently leads to a mistake which doubles rather than corrects the error that marksmen have shown a decided preference for laterally adjustable rear sights despite their greater mechanical complication and the resulting increased cos According to this invention the adjustable front sight is retained and its adjusting movement is made to correspond with the usual adjustments of the rear sight. As shown, in Figs. 3 and 4 the front sight base 5 has mounted on it an adjustable inclicator 6 turning on a pivot 7. One end of the indicator carries a sighting medium 7 and the other end of the indicator is a pointer 9 moving over lateral adjustment graduations 10 on the base 5. The pivot 7 is situated nearer to the sighting medium f than to the pointer 9 thereby multiplying the apparent movement of the sighting medium many times, preferably three or more. so that fine adjustments may be accurately made and read on scale 10. The indicator 6 is constructed of spring steel slightly curved so that when drawn into contact with the base 5 by pivot 7 it establishes sufficient frictional contact with the base to prevent involuntary movement.

The pointer 9 is preferably directed toward the rear of the gun as shown in Fig. 4 and whether directed forward or rearward its movement is opposite to that of the sighting medium 7 and in correspondence with the usual corrective movements of the rear sight, r, 2'. 6., the pointer 9 is moved to the left to cure an error to the right or is ingved to the right to cure an error to the A hood or shade 15 is preferably attached to the base 5 for protecting or shading the sighting medium 7 and during adjustment of the front sight this hood will hide the sighting medium from view so that its move ment will not confuse the aimer who only sees and moves the projecting pointer 9.

It is obvious that common micrometer screw means may be used for adjustment of the parts and other modifications resorted to Within the principle of the invention which is not confined to the specific embodiment shown and described, but is intended to cover such modifications thereof as fall Within the scope of the appended claims.

Iclaimz- 1. In a gun a barrel having a front sight laterally movable thereon and a single ad justing means for said sight movable to the right to correct an error to the left and movable to the left to correct an error to the right.

2. In a front sight for a gun the combination with a rear sighting medium, of an indicator carrying a front sighting medium at one end and having a pointer at the other end, said indicf PQ llwing pivotally mounted at a point in its length such that movement of said pointer in one direction will move said front sighting medium in the opposite direction.

3. In a front sight for a gun, the combination with a sighting medium, of an indicator carrying said sighting medium at one end, and having a pointer at the other end, said indicator being pivotally mounted at a point in its length nearer to said sighting medium than to said pointer.

4. In a front sight for a gun, the combination with a sighting medium, of an indicator carrying said sighting medium at one end, and having a pointer at the other end. retaining means for said indicator and a shade protecting said sighting medium but leaving said pointer protruding.

EDWARD J. D. NEIVITT. 

